Crystal Dreams of You and Me
by jarethsdragon
Summary: Jareth attends a rock concert and is surprised by what he finds.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Still don't own any of it.

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Jareth wove skillfully through the crowd as he made his way to the cavernous stadium stage. At first self-conscious of standing out—human fashions seemed to flit in and out faster than a pixie could bite, he felt more at ease in the anonymous crowd. He slid past two women—at least he thought that they were women—one in a leopard print spandex cat costume and yellow cat's eye contacts and the other in a purple sequined outfit with hot pink hair and watched for the next opening. The throng pressed forward eagerly, and spaces seemed to disappear as quickly as they formed.

The concert apparently had excellent technicians. Every twenty feet were tall gothic columns with torches spewing Technicolor fire out the tops. Lighting technicians dodged roaming spotlights and glided around flashing strobes. Jareth raised a sardonic eyebrow at the people pushing past each other to get to the stadium—and being filmed for display on giant screens for those in the back. Jareth felt a causal elbow in his ribs as he tried to move forward, and a youth with a shock of neon green hair stomped in front of him.

"Crystal Dreaming" was rumored to be the hottest band since the Beatles. The lead singer—Crystal Dragon—was known both as a golden and platinum artist, but also internationally as a model. Now suddenly, she was also rising as a fashion designer. The concert had been sold out for well over six months and people were lining up to reserve tickets for the next performance two years from now. Out of boredom, Jareth had conjured up his backstage pass and reserved seating ticket, but had almost lost it to a punk kid in oversized sweats. The kid had snatched at the metallic lanyard, but had gotten Jareth's necklace instead. Jareth growled at the thought—and the slightly chaffed spot where the necklace had abraded his skin. The kid—who realized his mistake—vanished into the crowd before Jareth could get a hold on him.

Frustrated, Jareth vanished in a poof of magic to reappear in the wings of the stage. A harried looking blonde with blue streaks and a walkie-talkie attachment apparently growing out of her ear started, glanced at her clipboard and then stammered, "Are.... Are you with the warm-up band?" She glanced at his lanyard, and blushed. "I guess not. Let me call security to escort you to your seat." She listened to the crackle of the headset and barked into it, "Sam, I need security stage right to escort a guest."

A huge hulk of a man lumbered up after a moment, his snaggletooth smile above Jareth's head. Taking a glance at the pass, he smiled again. "If you'll follow me, please. It's easy to get lost in this rabbit warren. It's a maze of tunnels!"

"You don't say," Jareth muttered softly.

Jareth followed the man up to his "Gold Reserved Seating" box and took his seat. The auditorium housed a mere nine hundred house seats, but had a balcony for tiers of reserved seating for another two hundred. The back of the house was left open for "Lawn" seats, which were the cheapest seats available, but the best places went to the bold and obnoxious.

Settling in and propped on the armrests, Jareth watched the crowds below. The giant screens reflected the crowd. A group of boys who shouted at the sweeping camera and held up a banner saying "CRYSTAL WE LOVE YOU" and other sign appeared saying "CRYSTAL DREAMING is #1" and the cat dressed woman held up a sign saying "CRYSTAL KISS US". The spotlights roamed over the crowd and the gothic torches flared up and died back.

The crowd's noise filled the auditorium as the final preparations were made. Jareth's teeth hurt with the roar of the crowd and, if the twenty feet high stacks of speakers were indication, he'd have a headache at the end. Gritting his teeth, he watched the throngs below.

The house lights flashed and the crowd shifted. A chant began building—"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"—and people began waving lighters in the air as the house lights dimmed.

"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" They shouted, louder and louder.

With a flutter of sparkling strobes, the warm-up band walked on to stage. Jareth snorted. Their keyboard artist—obviously a little bit spacey—missed several of the complicated trills on his triple stacked keyboards and the lead singer's voice was only moderate, although you couldn't tell it since most of the selections were mainly screaming.

The audience got testy at the end of the first few songs and began chanting again, "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" Jareth watched in amazement as they managed not to set anyone on fire as flaming lighters were waving back and forth.

The band bowed and swiftly swept off the stage. The cheering crowd continued to roar "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" The auditorium trembled at the noise and the rhythm of stomping and clapping. Jareth felt even the reserved box vibrating as everyone began clamoring.

"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"

An enthusiastic announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeaker system. "Ladies and gentlemen. The Thunderdome and Mazerunner Productions are proud to present Crystal Dreaming."

The crowd roared in response.

A redheaded man in yellow spandex walked out onto the stage. The crowd went wild and signs popped up everywhere—including one saying "Topaz WE WANT YOU" held up by two guys--as he waved shyly and strutted over to his metallic red guitar.

Topaz started a wailing riff that died suddenly into a sharp rhythm that started the audience clapping and stomping. Suddenly, a tall Valkyrie of a woman wearing a soft green velvet dress and brown knee high boots answered his riff with one of her own from across the stage. Topaz responded with another wailing guitar and she trilled back, leaning her guitar up almost entirely vertical and spinning around. Jareth started as the man seated next to him bellowed "YOU GO, JADE!"

Jade and Topaz began a rhythmical, staccato beat on their guitars and a man in electric blue and a woman in cobalt—both of them with sky blue hair—strutted out to center stage and kissed. The crowd bellowed its approval and signs sprang up—"Lapis WE WANT YOU TOO" and "Sapphire is the MAN". Lapis strolled over next to Jade and picked up an electric blue saxophone and Sapphire sat down settled his rack of keyboards.

The saxophone let out a smoky, saucy melody and a woman in red satin spun out onto the stage with two drumsticks in her hand. Ruby had her own admirers, who began clapping and stomping as she smacked her drumsticks together and, with a laugh, she settled behind the drums.

A hush fell over the audience for a split second, as though it were holding its breath

The stage lights dimmed and a column of smoke spurted up in the middle of the stage. Tiny strobes flickered in the fog, like fireflies. Miniature lasers cut up through the empty swirls and the announcer's voice filled the auditorium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment that you've been waiting for—"

The crowd's chant began again, swelling into a roar. "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"

"—it give us great pleasure to present....Crystal Dragon!"

A roil of flames shot up in the smoke and blue fireballs burst from the torches. The crowd screamed as a very feminine form appeared in the smoke. She raised her hand, silhouetted by the racing lasers.

Suddenly, she cracked a red and black bullwhip as the spot lights whipped to focus on her. She stood there proudly, listening coolly to the roar of the crowd, in skintight leather pants with open laces up to the waist and knee high stiletto boots, a tight black silk halter top and a bulky leather biker's jacket dripping with chains and sporting a flashing pair of handcuffs from one leather loop. She slowly turned to gaze at Jareth's box with mismatched eyes—one electric blue one and one of cruel, fiery red and ruffled her jet black hair and the white streak in it.

Crystal snapped her whip again over the crowd. Sliding out of the bulky leather coat—seeming to ignore the wave of catcalls and whistles—she tossed it aside as Ruby started a pounding rhythm. The two guitarists took it up, and the music swelled as Crystal strutted around the stage, cracking her whip in time. With a sassy sway of her hips, she lassoed a freestanding mike with it and snapped it to her.

The crowd roared again as she began singing. The entire stadium thundered in stomps and claps in time with the music. Crystal swung her hips around, spinning in time with the shadowy forms of the backup dancers.

Crystal strutted back and forth across the stage, the leather goddess before her worshippers, cracking her whip and singing. Jareth stared at her, watching as she finished the final chorus with three snaps of the whip and a flash of strobes.

The crowd went wild, then quieted instantly as Crystal held up her hand.

"Do you want more?" she asked in a sultry voice.

"YES!" the crowd shouted.

She pouted her full scarlet lips. "I didn't hear you! Do you want MORE?"

"MORE!" the crowd thundered.

"All right," she smiled. "I'll give you more—" The crowd's roar was deafening. "—more of the Limp Lizards!"

The warm-up band crept on stage as Topaz, Ruby and the rest set down their instruments.

The audience groaned and snarled.

Crystal snapped the whip a few more times and the Limp Lizards slunk offstage. Ruby snatched up her drumsticks and began mockingly beating the other drummer away from her stool, to the taunting of the audience.

The Valkyrie started stomping her feet and started a thrilling wail on her guitar. Topaz snatched up his guitar and answered back as Crystal jumped to center stage, spooking the slow moving lead of the Limp Lizards into running offstage.

Jade and Topaz's guitars seemed to call back and forth with electric intensity. Crystal even joined the competition, picking up a matte black guitar with a blue streak of lightning crossing it, as though she competed for the most complicated fretwork as well. No man with warm, red blood in his veins could have resisted the smoky siren's call as she lounged over Sapphire's keyboards. The next song, Lapis twirled out and Crystal wound around her—just barely not touching as their bodies swayed together.

Suddenly, the blue spotlights focused on Lapis entirely as the stage lights dimmed, as she swayed and her saxophone took over the song. She spun in a circle, her saxophone shimmering electric blue, and she sauntered over to Sapphire. In a taunting strut, she swirled around him as he pounded on his keyboards, their eyes meeting and then glancing away with a wail of the saxophone.

Suddenly the spotlights shifted, and one focused on an odd form huddled on the stage at Topaz's feet. From the shoes to the top of the floppy hat, the form couldn't have been more than two feet high, but in it's hand twirled three sparkling crystal balls. As the spotlight died on Lapis, Sapphire began a high, tinkling melody and Ruby began tapping the drums in time with the hypnotizing swirl of crystals.

With a sudden chord from the guitarists, the form stood up entirely, throwing aside the disguise and floppy hat. Crystal emerged in a sparkling white blouse, twirling the crystals with a sarcastic smile. Her microphone headset in sharp relief to her fair skin, she slid the center stage to begin again, her voice rising over the crowd as she twirled the crystals in their own spotlight.

Her voice wound around the final chorus, almost drowned out by the response to the crowd and the spotlight focused on the balls, twirling around and around as the stage lights dimmed. Then, as her notes died, the spotlight slowly faded to black as the spheres vanished one by one.

Jareth barely caught a breath before Topaz started up his guitar again. Lapis, Crystal and Ruby all were draped over center stage now. Suddenly, with a roll, they snapped up and began dancing with electric precision as Topaz and Sapphire sang.

Jareth stared, riveted by the performance. Even when she was not the only performer, Crystal's fiery presence demanded attention as she taunted her audience with musical visions of hot, steamy dreams. Saucy, smoky and exotically sweet, her voice dipped and soared like a dragon.

In a final flourish of the final song, Crystal stood posed in the middle of the stage. Bringing an arm up, she gestured at her band. Topaz sent out a final trill on his guitar, and then spun off-stage. Jade answered him back, and then disappeared offstage herself. Ruby twirled her drumsticks and with a sexy strut, disappeared. Sapphire stood and posed near one of the wings and Lapis ran and jumped into his arms. He held her overhead for a moment, then ever so delicately, brought her down low enough for a final kiss. The crowd cheered as Lapis dropped down like a cheerleader and the couple bowed and left the stage. Crystal stood alone for a moment, then, with a graceful bow, she strutted offstage.

The entire throng stood, clapping and shouting. Crystal led the others out and the entire band bowed again. The stage lights dimmed for a few seconds, and then rose as the crowd continued cheering. The band bowed again, smiling and waving occasionally at their fans. The lights dropped again and their shapes began moving off the stage.

After a full minute or two of cheering, clapping darkness, the lights rose again. Jareth watched as giant crystals dropped silently from the ceiling, hanging at seemingly random heights and somehow transforming the mundane stadium to a magical cave. The crowd roared again.

After a few moments, Ruby twirled back on stage, dressed in a rose-colored ball gown with an elaborate feathered mask in hand. She twirled idly around the stage, as though she didn't hear the din of the crowd. The giant screens flickered to life, showing the beginnings of a masquerade ball. Ruby winked and slid her mask down.

Sapphire reappeared with Lapis on his arm, in full masquerade regalia down to Sapphire's navy overcoat, vest, black breeches and leather boots and Lapis' long blue dress, white opera gloves. Sapphire pulled down his golden half-mask with a long, crooked nose, kissed Lapis briefly, and then tied her white domino on. Lapis and Ruby greeted each other, echoing the scenes on the screens. Topaz entered a short time later in a yellow-brown frock coat and fawn colored breeches, escorting Jade who looked handsome in her emerald green velvet dress. The group seemed to talk for a moment—Topaz slapping his knee in mute laughter—and, as the guests on the screen milled about. Two white wooden doors appeared on the screen, which were then thrown open wide, showing the masquerade hall. The band broke up then, gliding to their places.

The song started softly and the stage lights dimmed as the shadowy forms of the background dancers took on the forms of the masque dancers, waltzing, and laughing in the background.

The music rose for a moment, and a pure white spotlight highlighted a final crystal dropping from the ceiling. In a burst of glitter and strobe, Crystal stepped out onto the stage.

Jareth almost echoed the crowd's low, steamy growl. Damn, he should have worn a looser pair of breeches. Crystal stood proudly in a low cut, white satin gown with pearly beads shimmering in the cool spotlight. The thin sheath hugged her full curves tightly, only the slit in the side going up to her ankle allowing her any movement. The dress swirled around her like a dream, her short dark hair somehow tamed down to fall charmingly around her and framing her face. A silver coronet with elaborate silver leaves and flowers woven around it sat upon her brow.

With an affected confusion, she walked around to the dancers and musicians, who pushed past her or turned away from her. The screens flickered between showing her video and close ups of the stage performers. Every so often, a wandering spotlight would capture a glowing crystal ball that would appear for a moment, and then vanish into the shadowy dancers.

A tall, slender dancer came forward and approached Crystal from behind. The dancer, in a metallic blue frock coat, white flounced cravat, black breeches and boots, held a black lacquered mask on a golden baton in front of his face, his wild blonde hair spiking around the mask. Crystal turned and saw the dancer, facing him, she and he began waltzing, perfectly in time and not touching as they spun in time with the other dancers.

The band played the intro bars and Crystal began to sing, a soft, soothing love song to the mysterious man who danced with her. The masquerade—a mix of shadowy figures—began to fade as the two dancers came closer, circling each other. The masquerade scenes on the screens faded to show the other dancers giving way to Crystal and her mysterious man as Crystal's voice rose to ask her lover not to vanish. Implore him not to leaver her cold and alone.

The giant screens showed close-ups of a gilded clock, striking midnight. Crystal looked around, in the middle of a chorus as the chimes echoed and re-echoed. Suddenly, the dancers swirled out onto the stage, obscuring the singer and blocking her from the taller man, who vanished in the crowd as the clock continued to chime. The dancers started swirling away, vanishing into the darkness of the wings as the music softened, then stopped as the clock chimed the thirteenth time and Crystal stood there in a slim black velvet sheath, softly singing the chorus all alone on stage as the images on the screens showed her cradling a crystal in her hand with a figure of her and her dancer in the middle of it. As her voice faded in the last echo of the chorus, the stage lights faded completely.

For a moment, there was a breathless hush of anticipation.

The crowd roared in response, crying out for more. The stage remained empty in the dimly lit stage lights and the house lights came on with a determined air. People began shuffling around, gathering up to leave.

The little blonde with blue streaks appeared in the back of the box with her clipboard and walkie-talkie still crackling in her ear. She cleared her voice and everyone turned to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your backstage tour will begin in a few moments, followed by a reception with the band. If you would please get out your passes—which are collectible—so that we can identify you, we would appreciate it. You will not be allowed backstage without a pass, and they will be checked..."

Jareth fiddled with his pass idly as the woman's voice faded. Something felt distinctly unique—like the brush of kismet. He frowned, realizing he had no words for it. The performance was superb, but something still nagged at him.

Like most stadiums and auditoriums, the backstage was not nearly so glamorous as the performance showed. The "crystals" were huge hanging sheets of plastic that were folded into just enough facets to form a façade. The last crystal was the only one with an actual bottom. The lasers were displayed and strobes flashed, a hollow mockery of the first moments of the concert when one was close enough to see the gears and bulbs. Above the stage were huge pulleys and levers and counterweights, their oily sheen tarnishing in the lights as the stage was laid open for the curious and bored youths swept up the bits of paper, programs, ticket stubs, empty soda bottles and other trash.

It was almost sad, Jareth reflected. Like watching a spell burst around you and the glamour get swept away with nothing left to show for it.

The burly security guard lumbered in after the half hour tour, and started checking backstage passes again. He smiled at Jareth, waving him through a door to a hallway with garishly bright fluorescent lights and some kind of hideous dirty mint green paint over cinderblocks. Jareth shuddered for a moment at the monstrous surroundings. He wouldn't wish this somehow antiseptic and depressing color on anyone—even in the oubliette.

At the end of the hall, another security guard stood, waiting for all the guests to gather. Everyone would visit, briefly, the band's dressing rooms, and then go on to the reception. If everyone would please stay together and not linger and please not ask for autographs until the reception. No flash bulbs or photographs either. Please do not smoke and no chewing gum, candy, popcorn or other foods or drinks.

The crowd pressed forward, eager to snap up the bits of the "real lives" of the performers. The security guard—apparently bored with the routine—led the group past several large rooms of equipment and props. Someone tried to sneak a picture of the backup dancers and the guard relieved her of the camera. The group, cowed, surged forward again, and lurched down a tiny non-descript hallway with doors down both sides.

Jareth walked along with the crowd, wondering what would happen once the group started talking to each other. The group stopped suddenly and Jareth stumbled over a small man who jabbed him in the ribs sharply.

Crystal stood in the hallway in her glorious white dress, watching them with mocking eyes—one red and one blue. They looked him over and then glanced away, scanning the small crowd.

After three questions, which she answered in a low, sultry voice, she remarked, "I hope that you all have enjoyed the performance tonight, as well as your tour. We have a small reception set up in the green room—" She waved her hand down the hallway. "—And I look forward to seeing you all there. Please forgive me for not staying to answer questions longer—I'm afraid that I have out of town guests that I would like a few minutes with...."

Every man in the crowd—and two ladies—nodded gamely, hanging on to her every word. The security man started shuffling them all away, gathering Jareth up in the crowd, as Crystal laid her hand on Jareth's arm. "About time you got here," she purred, leading him into the dressing room and closing the door behind her.

Jareth took in only a cursory glance at the dressing room. A daybed rested in one corner and the obligatory dressing table took up one wall. A stack of papers and folders lay on one corner, along with a neatly packed makeup bag.

"Earth to Jareth. Earth to Jareth," purred Crystal.

Jareth started, stared at Crystal, as she stood in front of the closed door, proudly breathtaking.

"Surely you haven't forgotten me?" she mocked softly. She shrugged. "Ah well, as you frequently reminded me, life is not always fair."

With a sultry air, she sat down at the dressing table and pulled a small plastic case from her makeup case. With a disinterested air, she plucked the red contact from her eye and placed it carefully in its solution. She ran a brush through her hair, fluffing it. "Do you recognize me now, darling?"

"Sarah?" he croaked softly, staring into her eyes in the mirror.

She smiled softly, seductively, meeting his gaze in the mirror. "It's only been forever, not that long at all." Turning, she stood and approached him.

Abruptly Jareth felt like he was back in time, watching as Sarah approached him. Her eyes had been wide and crystal blue as she stared at him, approaching him at first timidly. Her confidence had grown, her voice swelling. Until she couldn't remember her words—then her confidence slid away, her eyes dropped and turned limpid.

Now she stalked him with a snow cat's grace, her gaze meeting his. He stepped backwards, unsure. "Sarah, wait—"

"Jareth? The terrifying King of the Goblins calling time-out?" she mocked him, advancing. "I don't believe it." She smiled widely.

Jareth's knees buckled and he dropped down on the bed. Sarah advanced slowly, stopping to scoop up one of the crystal spheres from the floor and to twirl it in her hand. Jareth cast only a wary glance at the crystal as she rolled it over her knuckles and flicked her wrist to send it rolling off the other hands fingers. It was her eyes that were more terrifying.

Sarah smile turned almost feral. Then, with a sudden unconcerned air, she purred, "If you hold it this way, then it will show you your dreams." She held the crystal still for a moment, peering at Jareth through it. "What are your dreams Jareth?"

Jareth whimpered a little, his mind whirling and his mouth going dry.

Sarah let the crystal twirl between her hands. For a moment more she stared at it, then stared into his eyes.

Jareth felt his toes curl in his boots, every fiber of his body scorched by her gaze.

Sarah moved forward, putting one knee on the bed beside him. Rolling the crystal between her fingers and into her palm, she leaned forward.

Jareth felt his eyes close as she leaned close. This was too much—too close to the dreams that he hoarded close to his heart—dreams of her desiring him as much as he desired her. He felt the creaky mattress shift beside him, heard the satin gone slide around her, heard her breath and smelled her light perfume. Taking in a stuttering breath, he willed himself to relax.

Sarah's lips brushed his lightly and Jareth almost crumpled against the bed. Taking the crystal, she brushed it against his cheek, smiling as his eyes flew open. She smiled again; rolling the coolly smooth crystal over his face and down his bare neck and chest, then letting it fall to the bed.

"So what are the great Goblin King's dreams?" she whispered softly.

Jareth whimpered as she spoke. "I dream... I dream...—" He moaned as her fingers brushed his chest. "I don't know what I dream."

Sarah smiled. "What do you dream?" At he soft panting, she whispered, "You grant so many dreams. So many wishes. Don't you have any of your own?"

Jareth fumbled for an answer. "I have many," he growled, trying desperately to hang on to wakefulness as Sarah began fiddling with a lock of his hair.

"Many?"

"Yes!"

She smiled. "Really?" She stood suddenly, chuckling as Jareth hissed at her movement. "What do you dream?"

Jareth's eyes slit open. "I dream of granting a wish..."

Sarah smiled. "I dream of making a wish."

Jareth sucked in a lungful of cool air—instantly tightening as her recognized her scent. "What wish do you have now? What dreams?"  
  
Sarah twirled around a moment. "I have a dream of a masquerade and dancing with a King who sang to me."

Jareth stared at her openly, watching as she scooped up the crystal ball from the bed and slide it into its place in a travel case. She glided around the room, almost dancing, smiling a dreamy and secretive smile.

In a hoarse voice, he croaked, "Is that all you dream? Of a dance?"

She shook her head, her shorter hair flying out in feathery directions. "I dream of more—I dream of seeing the end of the ball. I dream of him singing to me, of him wanting my love...." She sighed softly, and began digging around in one of her bags. "I dream of him and his crystal balls and the real magic that they could create. I dream of forever."

Jareth drew in a long breath. Standing unsteadily, he watched her. "And what do you wish?"

Jareth heard the hiss of the long bullwhip only a scant half moment before it was wrapped around his waist. Suddenly, Sarah yanked the handle hard, jerking him towards her. "I wish to be with the Goblin King as his equal and Queen, right now!"

Sarah gasped as, with a sudden movement, the Goblin King vanished and the loops of leather fell limply to the ground. Suddenly, she felt him behind her, stroking her bare shoulders with the lightest touch of his fingertips. "Your wish is granted."

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**Author's Note: **I am a big fan of Jareth/Sarah as a couple. But what if Sarah was the agressor--what if she turned the tables? :) Still don't own anything. Please R&R, particularly if you want me to send you the missing chapter where he meets the band members. ;) See how sneaky I am? 


	2. Encore! Encore!

Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the Labyrinth or anything. :(

**AN: **This is the Encore of the original performance--with additional information about the band members and so on. :D So many people liked the original, that I thought I should share this with everyone. If you like one or the other better, please review it and let me know.

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Jareth wove skillfully through the crowd as he made his way to the cavernous stadium stage. At first self-conscious of standing out—human fashions seemed to flit in and out faster than a pixie could bite, he felt more at ease in the anonymous crowd. He slid past two women—at least he thought that they were women—one in a leopard print spandex cat costume and yellow cat's eye contacts and the other in a purple sequined outfit with hot pink hair and watched for the next opening. The throng pressed forward eagerly, and spaces seemed to disappear as quickly as they formed.

The concert apparently had excellent technicians. Every twenty feet were tall gothic columns with torches spewing Technicolor fire out the tops. Lighting technicians dodged roaming spotlights and glided around flashing strobes. Jareth raised a sardonic eyebrow at the people pushing past each other to get to the stadium—and being filmed for display on giant screens for those in the back. Jareth felt a causal elbow in his ribs as he tried to move forward, and a youth with a shock of neon green hair stomped in front of him.

"Crystal Dreaming" was rumored to be the hottest band since the Beatles. The lead singer—Crystal Dragon—was known both as a golden and platinum artist, but also internationally as a model. Now suddenly, she was also rising as a fashion designer. The concert had been sold out for well over six months and people were lining up to reserve tickets for the next performance two years from now. Out of boredom, Jareth had conjured up his backstage pass and reserved seating ticket, but had almost lost it to a punk kid in oversized sweats. The kid had snatched at the metallic lanyard, but had gotten Jareth's necklace instead. Jareth growled at the thought—and the slightly chaffed spot where the necklace had abraded his skin. The kid—who realized his mistake—vanished into the crowd before Jareth could get a hold on him.

Frustrated, Jareth vanished in a poof of magic to reappear in the wings of the stage. A harried looking blonde with blue streaks and a walkie-talkie attachment apparently growing out of her ear started, glanced at her clipboard and then stammered, "Are.... Are you with the warm-up band?" She glanced at his lanyard, and blushed. "I guess not. Let me call security to escort you to your seat." She listened to the crackle of the headset and barked into it, "Sam, I need security stage right to escort a guest."

A huge hulk of a man lumbered up after a moment, his snaggletooth smile above Jareth's head. Taking a glance at the pass, he smiled again. "If you'll follow me, please. It's easy to get lost in this rabbit warren. It's a maze of tunnels!"

"You don't say," Jareth muttered softly.

Jareth followed the man up to his "Gold Reserved Seating" box and took his seat. The auditorium housed a mere nine hundred house seats, but had a balcony for tiers of reserved seating for another two hundred. The back of the house was left open for "Lawn" seats, which were the cheapest seats available, but the best places went to the bold and obnoxious.

Settling in and propped on the armrests, Jareth watched the crowds below. The giant screens reflected the crowd. A group of boys who shouted at the sweeping camera and held up a banner saying "CRYSTAL WE LOVE YOU" and other sign appeared saying "CRYSTAL DREAMING is #1" and the cat dressed woman held up a sign saying "CRYSTAL KISS US". The spotlights roamed over the crowd and the gothic torches flared up and died back.

The crowd's noise filled the auditorium as the final preparations were made. Jareth's teeth hurt with the roar of the crowd and, if the twenty feet high stacks of speakers were indication, he'd have a headache at the end. Gritting his teeth, he watched the throngs below.

The house lights flashed and the crowd shifted. A chant began building—"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"—and people began waving lighters in the air as the house lights dimmed.

"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" They shouted, louder and louder.

With a flutter of sparkling strobes, the warm-up band walked on to stage. Jareth snorted. Their keyboard artist—obviously a little bit spacey—missed several of the complicated trills on his triple stacked keyboards and the lead singer's voice was only moderate, although you couldn't tell it since most of the selections were mainly screaming.

The audience got testy at the end of the first few songs and began chanting again, "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" Jareth watched in amazement as they managed not to set anyone on fire as flaming lighters were waving back and forth.

The band bowed and swiftly swept off the stage. The cheering crowd continued to roar "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!" The auditorium trembled at the noise and the rhythm of stomping and clapping. Jareth felt even the reserved box vibrating as everyone began clamoring.

"Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"

An enthusiastic announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeaker system. "Ladies and gentlemen. The Thunderdome and Mazerunner Productions are proud to present Crystal Dreaming."

The crowd roared in response.

A redheaded man in yellow spandex walked out onto the stage. The crowd went wild and signs popped up everywhere—including one saying "Topaz WE WANT YOU" held up by two guys--as he waved shyly and strutted over to his metallic red guitar.

Topaz started a wailing riff that died suddenly into a sharp rhythm that started the audience clapping and stomping. Suddenly, a tall Valkyrie of a woman wearing a soft green velvet dress and brown knee high boots answered his riff with one of her own from across the stage. Topaz responded with another wailing guitar and she trilled back, leaning her guitar up almost entirely vertical and spinning around. Jareth started as the man seated next to him bellowed "YOU GO, JADE!"

Jade and Topaz began a rhythmical, staccato beat on their guitars and a man in electric blue and a woman in cobalt—both of them with sky blue hair—strutted out to center stage and kissed. The crowd bellowed its approval and signs sprang up—"Lapis WE WANT YOU TOO" and "Sapphire is the MAN". Lapis strolled over next to Jade and picked up an electric blue saxophone and Sapphire sat down settled his rack of keyboards.

The saxophone let out a smoky, saucy melody and a woman in red satin spun out onto the stage with two drumsticks in her hand. Ruby had her own admirers, who began clapping and stomping as she smacked her drumsticks together and, with a laugh, she settled behind the drums.

A hush fell over the audience for a split second, as though it were holding its breath

The stage lights dimmed and a column of smoke spurted up in the middle of the stage. Tiny strobes flickered in the fog, like fireflies. Miniature lasers cut up through the empty swirls and the announcer's voice filled the auditorium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment that you've been waiting for—"

The crowd's chant began again, swelling into a roar. "Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON! Drag-ON!"

"—it give us great pleasure to present....Crystal Dragon!"

A roil of flames shot up in the smoke and blue fireballs burst from the torches. The crowd screamed as a very feminine form appeared in the smoke. She raised her hand, silhouetted by the racing lasers.

Suddenly, she cracked a red and black bullwhip as the spot lights whipped to focus on her. She stood there proudly, listening coolly to the roar of the crowd, in skintight leather pants with open laces up to the waist and knee high stiletto boots, a tight black silk halter top and a bulky leather biker's jacket dripping with chains and sporting a flashing pair of handcuffs from one leather loop. She slowly turned to gaze at Jareth's box with mismatched eyes—one electric blue one and one of cruel, fiery red and ruffled her jet black hair and the white streak in it.

Crystal snapped her whip again over the crowd. Sliding out of the bulky leather coat—seeming to ignore the wave of catcalls and whistles—she tossed it aside as Ruby started a pounding rhythm. The two guitarists took it up, and the music swelled as Crystal strutted around the stage, cracking her whip in time. With a sassy sway of her hips, she lassoed a freestanding mike with it and snapped it to her.

The crowd roared again as she began singing. The entire stadium thundered in stomps and claps in time with the music. Crystal swung her hips around, spinning in time with the shadowy forms of the backup dancers.

Crystal strutted back and forth across the stage, the leather goddess before her worshippers, cracking her whip and singing. Jareth stared at her, watching as she finished the final chorus with three snaps of the whip and a flash of strobes.

The crowd went wild, then quieted instantly as Crystal held up her hand.

"Do you want more?" she asked in a sultry voice.

"YES!" the crowd shouted.

She pouted her full scarlet lips. "I didn't hear you! Do you want MORE?"

"MORE!" the crowd thundered.

"All right," she smiled. "I'll give you more—" The crowd's roar was deafening. "—more of the Limp Lizards!"

The warm-up band crept on stage as Topaz, Ruby and the rest set down their instruments.

The audience groaned and snarled.

Crystal snapped the whip a few more times and the Limp Lizards slunk offstage. Ruby snatched up her drumsticks and began mockingly beating the other drummer away from her stool, to the taunting of the audience.

The Valkyrie started stomping her feet and started a thrilling wail on her guitar. Topaz snatched up his guitar and answered back as Crystal jumped to center stage, spooking the slow moving lead of the Limp Lizards into running offstage.

Jade and Topaz's guitars seemed to call back and forth with electric intensity. Crystal even joined the competition, picking up a matte black guitar with a blue streak of lightning crossing it, as though she competed for the most complicated fretwork as well. No man with warm, red blood in his veins could have resisted the smoky siren's call as she lounged over Sapphire's keyboards. The next song, Lapis twirled out and Crystal wound around her—just barely not touching as their bodies swayed together.

Suddenly, the blue spotlights focused on Lapis entirely as the stage lights dimmed, as she swayed and her saxophone took over the song. She spun in a circle, her saxophone shimmering electric blue, and she sauntered over to Sapphire. In a taunting strut, she swirled around him as he pounded on his keyboards, their eyes meeting and then glancing away with a wail of the saxophone.

Suddenly the spotlights shifted, and one focused on an odd form huddled on the stage at Topaz's feet. From the shoes to the top of the floppy hat, the form couldn't have been more than two feet high, but in it's hand twirled three sparkling crystal balls. As the spotlight died on Lapis, Sapphire began a high, tinkling melody and Ruby began tapping the drums in time with the hypnotizing swirl of crystals.

With a sudden chord from the guitarists, the form stood up entirely, throwing aside the disguise and floppy hat. Crystal emerged in a sparkling white blouse, twirling the crystals with a sarcastic smile. Her microphone headset in sharp relief to her fair skin, she slid the center stage to begin again, her voice rising over the crowd as she twirled the crystals in their own spotlight.

Her voice wound around the final chorus, almost drowned out by the response to the crowd and the spotlight focused on the balls, twirling around and around as the stage lights dimmed. Then, as her notes died, the spotlight slowly faded to black as the spheres vanished one by one.

Jareth barely caught a breath before Topaz started up his guitar again. Lapis, Crystal and Ruby all were draped over center stage now. Suddenly, with a roll, they snapped up and began dancing with electric precision as Topaz and Sapphire sang.

Jareth stared, riveted by the performance. Even when she was not the only performer, Crystal's fiery presence demanded attention as she taunted her audience with musical visions of hot, steamy dreams. Saucy, smoky and exotically sweet, her voice dipped and soared like a dragon.

In a final flourish of the final song, Crystal stood posed in the middle of the stage. Bringing an arm up, she gestured at her band. Topaz sent out a final trill on his guitar, and then spun off-stage. Jade answered him back, and then disappeared offstage herself. Ruby twirled her drumsticks and with a sexy strut, disappeared. Sapphire stood and posed near one of the wings and Lapis ran and jumped into his arms. He held her overhead for a moment, then ever so delicately, brought her down low enough for a final kiss. The crowd cheered as Lapis dropped down like a cheerleader and the couple bowed and left the stage. Crystal stood alone for a moment, then, with a graceful bow, she strutted offstage.

The entire throng stood, clapping and shouting. Crystal led the others out and the entire band bowed again. The stage lights dimmed for a few seconds, and then rose as the crowd continued cheering. The band bowed again, smiling and waving occasionally at their fans. The lights dropped again and their shapes began moving off the stage.

After a full minute or two of cheering, clapping darkness, the lights rose again. Jareth watched as giant crystals dropped silently from the ceiling, hanging at seemingly random heights and somehow transforming the mundane stadium to a magical cave. The crowd roared again.

After a few moments, Ruby twirled back on stage, dressed in a rose-colored ball gown with an elaborate feathered mask in hand. She twirled idly around the stage, as though she didn't hear the din of the crowd. The giant screens flickered to life, showing the beginnings of a masquerade ball. Ruby winked and slid her mask down.

Sapphire reappeared with Lapis on his arm, in full masquerade regalia down to Sapphire's navy overcoat, vest, black breeches and leather boots and Lapis' long blue dress, white opera gloves. Sapphire pulled down his golden half-mask with a long, crooked nose, kissed Lapis briefly, and then tied her white domino on. Lapis and Ruby greeted each other, echoing the scenes on the screens. Topaz entered a short time later in a yellow-brown frock coat and fawn colored breeches, escorting Jade who looked handsome in her emerald green velvet dress. The group seemed to talk for a moment—Topaz slapping his knee in mute laughter—and, as the guests on the screen milled about. Two white wooden doors appeared on the screen, which were then thrown open wide, showing the masquerade hall. The band broke up then, gliding to their places.

The song started softly and the stage lights dimmed as the shadowy forms of the background dancers took on the forms of the masque dancers, waltzing, and laughing in the background.

The music rose for a moment, and a pure white spotlight highlighted a final crystal dropping from the ceiling. In a burst of glitter and strobe, Crystal stepped out onto the stage.

Jareth almost echoed the crowd's low, steamy growl. Damn, he should have worn a looser pair of breeches. Crystal stood proudly in a low cut, white satin gown with pearly beads shimmering in the cool spotlight. The thin sheath hugged her full curves tightly, only the slit in the side going up to her ankle allowing her any movement. The dress swirled around her like a dream, her short dark hair somehow tamed down to fall charmingly around her and framing her face. A silver coronet with elaborate silver leaves and flowers woven around it sat upon her brow.

With an affected confusion, she walked around to the dancers and musicians, who pushed past her or turned away from her. The screens flickered between showing her video and close ups of the stage performers. Every so often, a wandering spotlight would capture a glowing crystal ball that would appear for a moment, and then vanish into the shadowy dancers.

A tall, slender dancer came forward and approached Crystal from behind. The dancer, in a metallic blue frock coat, white flounced cravat, black breeches and boots, held a black lacquered mask on a golden baton in front of his face, his wild blonde hair spiking around the mask. Crystal turned and saw the dancer, facing him, she and he began waltzing, perfectly in time and not touching as they spun in time with the other dancers.

The band played the intro bars and Crystal began to sing, a soft, soothing love song to the mysterious man who danced with her. The masquerade—a mix of shadowy figures—began to fade as the two dancers came closer, circling each other. The masquerade scenes on the screens faded to show the other dancers giving way to Crystal and her mysterious man as Crystal's voice rose to ask her lover not to vanish. Implore him not to leaver her cold and alone.

The giant screens showed close-ups of a gilded clock, striking midnight. Crystal looked around, in the middle of a chorus as the chimes echoed and re-echoed. Suddenly, the dancers swirled out onto the stage, obscuring the singer and blocking her from the taller man, who vanished in the crowd as the clock continued to chime. The dancers started swirling away, vanishing into the darkness of the wings as the music softened, then stopped as the clock chimed the thirteenth time and Crystal stood there in a slim black velvet sheath, softly singing the chorus all alone on stage as the images on the screens showed her cradling a crystal in her hand with a figure of her and her dancer in the middle of it. As her voice faded in the last echo of the chorus, the stage lights faded completely.

For a moment, there was a breathless hush of anticipation.

The crowd roared in response, crying out for more. The stage remained empty in the dimly lit stage lights and the house lights came on with a determined air. People began shuffling around, gathering up to leave.

The little blonde with blue streaks appeared in the back of the box with her clipboard and walkie-talkie still crackling in her ear. She cleared her voice and everyone turned to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your backstage tour will begin in a few moments, followed by a reception with the band. If you would please get out your passes—which are collectible—so that we can identify you, we would appreciate it. You will not be allowed backstage without a pass, and they will be checked..."

Jareth fiddled with his pass idly as the woman's voice faded. Something felt distinctly unique—like the brush of kismet. He frowned, realizing he had no words for it. The performance was superb, but something still nagged at him.

Like most stadiums and auditoriums, the backstage was not nearly so glamorous as the performance showed. The "crystals" were huge hanging sheets of plastic that were folded into just enough facets to form a façade. The last crystal was the only one with an actual bottom. The lasers were displayed and strobes flashed, a hollow mockery of the first moments of the concert when one was close enough to see the gears and bulbs. Above the stage were huge pulleys and levers and counterweights, their oily sheen tarnishing in the lights as the stage was laid open for the curious and bored youths swept up the bits of paper, programs, ticket stubs, empty soda bottles and other trash.

It was almost sad, Jareth reflected. Like watching a spell burst around you and the glamour get swept away with nothing left to show for it.

The burly security guard lumbered in after the half hour tour, and started checking backstage passes again. He smiled at Jareth, waving him through a door to a hallway with garishly bright fluorescent lights and some kind of hideous dirty mint green paint over cinderblocks. Jareth shuddered for a moment at the monstrous surroundings. He wouldn't wish this somehow antiseptic and depressing color on anyone—even in the oubliette.

At the end of the hall, another security guard stood, waiting for all the guests to gather. Everyone would visit, briefly, the band's dressing rooms, and then go on to the reception. If everyone would please stay together and not linger and please not ask for autographs until the reception. No flash bulbs or photographs either. Please do not smoke and no chewing gum, candy, popcorn or other foods or drinks.

The crowd pressed forward, eager to snap up the bits of the "real lives" of the performers. The security guard—apparently bored with the routine—led the group past several large rooms of equipment and props. Someone tried to sneak a picture of the backup dancers and the guard relieved her of the camera. The group, cowed, surged forward again, and lurched down a tiny non-descript hallway with doors down both sides.

Jareth walked along with the crowd, wondering what would happen once the group started talking to each other. The group stopped suddenly and Jareth stumbled over a small man who jabbed him in the ribs sharply.

At the first doorway, the guard knocked and Ruby opened the door with impishly dancing eyes. In her red satin, she stood in the doorway of her tiny dressing room, answered a few questions and then waved the group on.

Jareth sighed at the usual rigmarole. No one was allowed to ever get truly close to the performers. So it surprised him when, as he turned to leave, Ruby grabbed his arm and hustled him inside her dressing room with a wink to the security people loitering behind the crowd.

"I know who you are," she whispered breathlessly, bouncing up and down on her toes happily. "I know you." She swept aside the pile of cosmetics from her dressing table into a beat up back.

Jareth arched an eyebrow. "Who do you think I am?"

Ruby glanced around conspiratorially. "You're the Goblin King."

Jareth almost choked. Eyes wide, he stared at her.

Ruby nodded to herself, scampering around him like a squirrel. Then she stopped—somehow seeming to dance around even though she was perfectly still. Then she launched herself at him in a bear hug.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou," she laughed, giggling.

Jareth stared at her, his arms pinned to his sides. For a moment, his mind stuttered in confusion. Finally, charm reasserted itself. "You're welcome." Ruby squeezed tighter and he gasped. "Please forgive for not recognizing your face immediately." Frantically, he flipped through his mind, trying desperately to recall Ruby's face and circumstances.

Ruby laughed and hugged him again. "You don't recognize me because you never saw me." At Jareth's confusion, she laughed and began dancing around again. "My stepfather bribed a judge to get custody of my baby sister—she was only four—and was beating her to death." She scowled here. "I hated him. He was drunk and high all the time and was going to sell Cara—my sister—for more drugs when she spilled his drink. He began beating her and I wished for you to take her." She brightened. "And you DID! You flew in the window and suddenly he was all paralyzed—" Ruby stiffened into a caricature and then relaxed. "—And when you touched Cara, she was healed and you took her away. I left that night to start life on my own—I had been so scared of leaving Cara behind and leaving her defenseless." She waved wildly. "And I know that I couldn't be here if I had had to take care of her too." She launched herself at Jareth, grabbing him in another bear hug. "You even made him and ma forget about Cara, so they never ever asked me about her or anything! And I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want them coming after her."

Jareth smiled softly. "You have done well for yourself. Cara is currently in charge of the castle nursery and is well and truly happy. And married."

Ruby squealed and danced around. "I knew it. I don't know how, but I just knew she was happy. Thank you thank you thankyouthankyou...." She bounced around again.

Jareth smiled at her and excused himself, ducking out of the door. Ruby smiled and mouthed "See you at the reception."

The little blonde with blue streaks was standing outside the dressing room door, smiling softly as she led Jareth along to rejoin the crowd outside of Topaz's dressing room, explaining that he had missed the side tour of the screening booth.

Topaz, a calm, collected young man stood there in his doorway, smiling with a flush on his face. Shyly, he smiled at everyone and listened patiently to all the questions—Where did he learn guitar? What was the inspiration for the hit "Thirteen Hours"? How did he change into the masquerade costume so quickly? At the last one he blushed and mumbled something. The group started lurching sideways to examine a production booth and restored recording studio when he tapped Jareth's shoulder.

"Sir, I have waited most of my life to meet you," he said softly.

Jareth's memory fumbled again, trying to remember this carrot-top in his escapades as Topaz led him inside the dressing room. Jade sprawled out on a couch, fiddling with some sheet music and the dressing table was meticulously set with makeup. When she looked up, she broke into a huge smile.

"Is this him?" Topaz asked Jade quietly. "Is it really?"

Jade smiled happily. "Yes, it is Robbie. It's really the Goblin King."

Topaz—err... Robbie—shook Jareth's hand again. "I'm truly honored. My Sam—" Jade stuck her tongue out at him impishly, threw a wadded up piece of paper at her, and he mockingly snarled at her. "—As I was saying, before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, I've waited most of my list to meet the Goblin King that my Samantha has told me so much about."

Jareth looked at Samantha. "I remember you as well. As I recall there was some kind of war going on and you and three other kids were still holed up in an old orphanage building. The other three had just found their grandparents and an uncle, leaving you behind when you wished yourself away."

Samantha nodded, her green eyes sparkling in the few lights of the dim dressing room. "Sure did. Then, you appeared and said that since I had wished myself away—just this once—you'd do me a favor." She blushed prettily. "So you let me choose a home."

Robbie walked over to Samantha, taking her hands in his. "I'm glad you chose the one you did."

She rolled her eyes teasingly. "Yeah, you were so glad that you clobbered my first snowman." He flushed again. "Then let's not forget when you stole my school books rather than let John Thompson carry them. And when you ran over my bicycle with your car—"

Robbie's skin was deep red and he could only smile gamely. "Well....I got to take you to school then."

Samantha laughed softly. "And what about when you crashed my 16th birthday?"

Robbie blushed even harder. "I err... I...." Then, with a humorous scowl he said, "And I suppose that you never ever fired a water gun filled with your mother's perfume at me just before gym?"

Samantha blushed. "You smelled nice." Robbie harrumphed. "Like ROSES!"

Jareth rolled his eyes. "You sound like you both are very happy."

Samantha and Robbie both started, almost like they had forgotten he was there. Robbie said softly, "Yeah. But we'll be happier when we're not on tour any more." He shook Jareth's hand one more time. "Thank you again." Samantha stood behind him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "So many little kids died when that orphanage was hit." Her eyes looked sad for a moment. "We send back money when we can, do benefit concerts and appearances—trying to help other kids." Samantha walked up to him and gave him a gentle hug. "But I couldn't have done any of it without you having given me a chance." She looked into his eyes. "We can't say anything, of course—who would believe us?" She snorted. "Quite a few of our critics already believe that we're spreading vice and drugs in our wake."

A rustling rumble came from the hallway. Samantha looked around both of them to the door. Robbie nodded in understanding. "You'd better go to your dressing room, pet. If you want to wow the local yokels."

She sauntered out, again entirely in her persona of "Jade" in her green dress and vanished into her dressing room. Robbie watched her go with a silly grin. "She's something. When she and I finally hooked up in high school, she and I started talking about a creative writing contest. She had submitted a fanciful story of a girl wanting to thank her white knight—rescued her from an evil dragon or something—and not being able to find him. Her words spoke to me—although it was a while before she did. When she did, she told me all about you and the immense favor you did her." He looked around for a moment. "We thank you—even if we haven't been able to say anything until now. Now--" He watched closed the door all but a crack as the rustling got louder. "--If you slide into the crowd in a few minutes, no one will know you were gone." He thought for a minute, then a smile split his face. "Actually, if you want to go through the performer's hallway, you'll get to Sapphire's and Lapis' dressing room." He pulled out a yellow pass and handed it to Jareth. "Show this to them, in case they freak out—I'll tell Jade to stall the yokels—and so that they don't call security." He slid out of the door and closed it carefully behind him.

Behind the dressing rooms was another hallway, apparently one that the performers alone used. Jareth slid down the hallway, going down to the next door.

Lapis and Sapphire shared a slightly larger dressing room. Blue and purple cloths hung with bright yellow poster adhesive fluttered slightly in the breeze, hiding the peeling paint and cinderblocks. This back door open was open wide, and he could see the selection of makeup littering the dressing room, and the wide-open suitcases with clothes flung into them. Sheets of music sat on the dressing table, with a bouquet of roses sitting on them in a crystal vase.

Lapis sat at the dressing table, absorbed in a three-dollar paperback and Sapphire was curled up on the obligatory couch as Jareth came in, fumbling through a purple taffeta hanging. Lapis yipped and gaped and Sapphire shot up to his feet.

Jareth flung the purple lame aside and handed them Robbie's pass. Sapphire and Lapis gaped silently for a moment then looked at each other. Lapis stood up and walked to Sapphire.

"So who wished us away this time?" Sapphire asked.

Jareth raised his eyebrows at the strong tone in the younger man's voice. "No one that I know of...wait..." He looked at the two and chuckled.

"I remember you two," he chuckled softly. "I remember you two very well." He thought for a moment. "You are Amanda and Jonathan."

Amanda smiled. "I guess we should be honored that you remember us."

Jonathan scowled. "I suppose."

Jareth nodded and bowed slightly. "I do indeed." He raised a hand to Sapphire. "I was enjoying your music. You two have certainly improved in the years."

Jonathan smiled evilly, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "We could certainly...regress."

Jareth openly blanched. "I'd rather not."

Amanda smiled. "Now you stop that—both of you!" She shot a glare at Jonathan and at Jareth. "It wasn't his fault! We both wished that we could visit the fairies!"

Jonathan laughed, and held out his hand. "I suppose we had better make our peace."

Jareth took his hand and shook it heartily. "It's not every day that I get to meet such...creative children." He chuckled. "It's not every day that Oberon grants someone a view of his kingdom."

Amanda pouted. "We didn't mean to break it."

Jareth smiled at her, with an arch to his eyebrow. "You didn't 'mean to' break his elfish crystal chess set against his favorite crystal scrying mirror?"

Amanda looked abashed and glanced at Jonathan. Jonathan raised his hands in protest. "Hey, I didn't touch it!"

Jareth smiled. "Oberon didn't even stay for tea!" His voice took on an exaggerated, shocked tone. "He dropped you both off at my castle and vanished. Can you believe that?"

Amanda grinned again. "Well, he said that we couldn't go back unless we wished each other into the Labyrinth."

Jareth nodded. "And then he deposited you on my doorstep. I offered to let you both go through the Labyrinth, but you both refused, demanding to be sent home. Then you both snuck off to my kitchens."

"We figured that enough noise and trouble would make you send us back!" Jonathan smiled.

Jareth arched an eyebrow. "Where would you get that idea, I wonder?" he said softly. "And so you grabbed up pots and pans and began shouting and banging them together. Breaking three crystals, two bowls, three plates, a serving platter, and—my favorite—a bottle of olive oil that turned rancid within the hour and soaked into those steps. Not to mention setting a small fire in my guest room." Jareth smiled. "So, I sent you back."

"You sent us back, all right," Jonathan snapped. "With one of the worst spankings I've ever had and a dire threat to drop us into the Bog if we ever returned."

"You realize that you are the first two who made it out of the Underground without running the Labyrinth?" Jareth asked.

Amanda smiled. "We did okay. My parents never even knew I was gone. We got through high school and just kind of stayed together." She looked wistful. "At least your parents knew that you were gone, Jon."

He nodded. "Yeah—they knew that I was gone and hadn't come back with the cigarettes they wanted." He grimaced. "The only time that I got spoken to was to get yelled at to get more cigarettes. Or booze." He held Amanda's hand with an intense look on his face. "You're the only one who believed in me when I needed it."

Amanda looked into his eyes. "You believed in me. You believed me when I said that I was lonely in a house with a pool, two horses, five cars, and hot and cold running servants and Mother and Father gone all the time." She smiled sadly. "Everyone thought that I had an ideal life—yeah, right. I had all the toys that money could buy and no one interested in playing with me."

Jareth smiled at them. "It sounds like both of you have grown up just fine."

Jon smiled, sadly. "I suppose so. We're still a little lonely—the poor little rich girl with the kid from the other side of the tracks. And no one would believe that we actually visited the fairies. So we kind of shut up about it, except to each other."

Amanda leaned into Jon. "Don't worry love—we're wrapping up this tour and be on vacation soon."

Jon wrapped his arms around her. "I'm looking forward to that! 18 months of a relatively sane schedule of recordings, then another tour. This time with a baby."

Amanda smiled secretively. "You know that everyone will give us all the help we need. Heck, we've even been offered one of the old tour buses to convert into a nursery." She smiled wearily at Jareth. "This one won't be wished away—I promise."

Jonathan picked up Robbie's pass. "So how did you get Robbie's pass?" he asked softly.

"You had better ask him that," Jareth said diplomatically. "And use my name."

A knock sounded at the door. Amanda grimaced, pulling a face. Jonathan smiled and walked over to open the door as Jareth vanished in a cloud of glitter.

The crowd didn't even notice as Jareth approached from behind them. Sapphire and Lapis acted like they were on stage—snuggling and smooching and raving about how much fun they had visiting the local landmarks. They smiled and giggled and abruptly, with silly grins on their faces and a small peck, hustled into their dressing room and slammed the door.

The security guard smiled. "They're just like that folks." He rolled his eyes expressively. "Newlyweds. Now if you'll come down here, we'll visit Crystal next."

Crystal stood in the hallway in her glorious white dress, watching them with mocking eyes—one red and one blue. They looked him over and then glanced away, scanning the small crowd.

After three questions, which she answered in a low, sultry voice, she remarked, "I hope that you all have enjoyed the performance tonight, as well as your tour. We have a small reception set up in the green room—" She waved her hand down the hallway. "—And I look forward to seeing you all there. Please forgive me for not staying to answer questions longer—I'm afraid that I have out of town guests that I would like a few minutes with...."

Every man in the crowd—and two ladies—nodded gamely, hanging on to her every word. The security man started shuffling them all away, gathering Jareth up in the crowd, as Crystal laid her hand on Jareth's arm. "About time you got here," she purred, leading him into the dressing room and closing the door behind her.

Jareth took in only a cursory glance at the dressing room. A daybed rested in one corner and the obligatory dressing table took up one wall. A stack of papers and folders lay on one corner, along with a neatly packed makeup bag.

"Earth to Jareth. Earth to Jareth," purred Crystal.

Jareth started, stared at Crystal, as she stood in front of the closed door, proudly breathtaking.

"Surely you haven't forgotten me?" she mocked softly. She shrugged. "Ah well, as you frequently reminded me, life is not always fair."

With a sultry air, she sat down at the dressing table and pulled a small plastic case from her makeup case. With a disinterested air, she plucked the red contact from her eye and placed it carefully in its solution. She ran a brush through her hair, fluffing it. "Do you recognize me now, darling?"

"Sarah?" he croaked softly, staring into her eyes in the mirror.

She smiled softly, seductively, meeting his gaze in the mirror. "It's only been forever, not that long at all." Turning, she stood and approached him.

Abruptly Jareth felt like he was back in time, watching as Sarah approached him. Her eyes had been wide and crystal blue as she stared at him, approaching him at first timidly. Her confidence had grown, her voice swelling. Until she couldn't remember her words—then her confidence slid away, her eyes dropped and turned limpid.

Now she stalked him with a snow cat's grace, her gaze meeting his. He stepped backwards, unsure. "Sarah, wait—"

"Jareth? The terrifying King of the Goblins calling time-out?" she mocked him, advancing. "I don't believe it." She smiled widely.

Jareth's knees buckled and he dropped down on the bed. Sarah advanced slowly, stopping to scoop up one of the crystal spheres from the floor and to twirl it in her hand. Jareth cast only a wary glance at the crystal as she rolled it over her knuckles and flicked her wrist to send it rolling off the other hands fingers. It was her eyes that were more terrifying.

Sarah smile turned almost feral. Then, with a sudden unconcerned air, she purred, "If you hold it this way, then it will show you your dreams." She held the crystal still for a moment, peering at Jareth through it. "What are your dreams Jareth?"

Jareth whimpered a little, his mind whirling and his mouth going dry.

Sarah let the crystal twirl between her hands. For a moment more she stared at it, then stared into his eyes.

Jareth felt his toes curl in his boots, every fiber of his body scorched by her gaze.

Sarah moved forward, putting one knee on the bed beside him. Rolling the crystal between her fingers and into her palm, she leaned forward.

Jareth felt his eyes close as she leaned close. This was too much—too close to the dreams that he hoarded close to his heart—dreams of her desiring him as much as he desired her. He felt the creaky mattress shift beside him, heard the satin gown slide around her, heard her breath and smelled her light perfume. Taking in a stuttering breath, he willed himself to relax.

Sarah's lips brushed his lightly and Jareth almost crumpled against the bed. Taking the crystal, she brushed it against his cheek, smiling as his eyes flew open. She smiled again; rolling the coolly smooth crystal over his face and down his bare neck and chest, then letting it fall to the bed.

"So what are the great Goblin King's dreams?" she whispered softly.

Jareth whimpered as she spoke. "I dream... I dream...—" He moaned as her fingers brushed his chest. "I don't know what I dream."

Sarah smiled. "What do you dream?" At he soft panting, she whispered, "You grant so many dreams. So many wishes. Don't you have any of your own?"

Jareth fumbled for an answer. "I have many," he growled, trying desperately to hang on to wakefulness as Sarah began fiddling with a lock of his hair.

"Many?"

"Yes!"

She smiled. "Really?" She stood suddenly, chuckling as Jareth hissed at her movement. "What do you dream?"

Jareth's eyes slit open. "I dream of granting a wish..."

Sarah smiled. "I dream of making a wish."

Jareth sucked in a lungful of cool air—instantly tightening as her recognized her scent. "What wish do you have now? What dreams?"

Sarah twirled around a moment. "I have a dream of a masquerade and dancing with a King who sang to me."

Jareth stared at her openly, watching as she scooped up the crystal ball from the bed and slide it into its place in a travel case. She glided around the room, almost dancing, smiling a dreamy and secretive smile.

In a hoarse voice, he croaked, "Is that all you dream? Of a dance?"

She shook her head, her shorter hair flying out in feathery directions. "I dream of more—I dream of seeing the end of the ball. I dream of him singing to me, of him wanting my love...." She sighed softly, and began digging around in one of her bags. "I dream of him and his crystal balls and the real magic that they could create. I dream of forever."

Jareth drew in a long breath. Standing unsteadily, he watched her. "And what do you wish?"

Jareth heard the hiss of the long bullwhip only a scant half moment before it was wrapped around his waist. Suddenly, Sarah yanked the handle hard, jerking him towards her. "I wish to be with the Goblin King as his equal and Queen, right now!"

Sarah gasped as, with a sudden movement, the Goblin King vanished and the loops of leather fell limply to the ground. Suddenly, she felt him behind her, stroking her bare shoulders with the lightest touch of his fingertips. "Your wish is granted."


End file.
